


What Lies In The Past May Link To Our Future

by BlackSkyKitty



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, F/F, It didn't really turn out, M/M, Multi, North doesn't know how to feel, Post-Season/Series 13, Rewrite, This was meant to be angsty, Wash is sad and happy, Wash just wants them to be together again, York is a suspicious little shit, but its cute
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2018-12-03 05:38:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11525652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackSkyKitty/pseuds/BlackSkyKitty
Summary: (Rewrite!!) Epsilon made his way to Earth and the Reds and Blues followed, and it wasn't long before the Valhalla Cafe opened.  Can Wash get over the loss of his partners and his friends?





	1. Chapter 1

((THE REWRITE OF THIS STORY STARTS IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!! :)))   


“Hey Wash,” There was a voice from the back of the café and it took a moment, enough time for David Washington to finish helping a costumer pay for their drink and meal, for him to look back to see a man standing in the door that separated the front of the café where the costumers sat and Wash worked, to the back where food and drinks were made.  
The man standing there was the ‘manager’ of this café. Their café. Leonard Church. You see after their military days, Project Freelancer and such, the Reds and Blues, as they called themselves, returned to Earth and opened a café.  
Cafe Valhalla they called it, after a spot they had all been at long before they returned to Earth, they still fought but not like they used to. Disagreements and such and of course Sarge still cursing them and calling them ‘Damned Blues’. It was part of the charm, costumers found.  
“What’s up Church, I'm busy.”  
“Yeah I can see that. Doc is gonna take over for you, it’s your break.” David turned to argue but Epsilon, or what was left of the AI, continued. “Don’t fucking argue. You have been avoiding it for two hours now. Take your fucking break already before you collapse.”  
“Leonard I don’t have time to—“  
“Fuck off, you do too. We both know why you’re avoiding it.”  
David cursed. Of course Leonard knew and it meant even more that Wash couldn’t argue. Moving away from the counter, he saw Leonard turn and wave someone over.  
As he past Church he saw the medic moving over, them passing each other as David moved to the small locker room they had at the back, removing his apron as he did, and Doc just grinned as he past before moving out the front.  
Opening the door he could still hear Doc speaking to the customers outside even over the racket that was the back of the café. Caboose sitting on a counter and swinging his feet, which often hit the cupboard below, Tucker whining at Church, mostly because he wanted to be out the front flirting with people, Simmons getting upset at Grif for one thing or other and Donut rambling on to Sarge, probably about his last date with Doc.  
There was a sigh from Wash’s lips as he put his apron down and grabbed his wallet, which he stuffed in his pocket, before moving back towards the front.  
He hadn’t even reached the front when Lavernius Tucker stopped him, winked and handed him a coffee. It was normal, if anyone went out for a break someone would have their ‘usual’ ready. Normally a coffee and some sort of baked good, which could range from Caboose’s cookies/biscuits, Grif and Simmons’ cakes or donut, Donut’s small cheesecakes or Sarge’s tiny pizzas.  
“I know you don’t like sugar in it so its just black.” Tucker told him, with a hum before he returned to work only to whine at Church.  
The slightly taller man just ignored him and moved to talk to Caboose, everyone there knew they were an item even if they hadn’t admitted it yet.  
“Thanks.” Wash’s nod was short and curt as he held the take away cup close and moved to the front of the café.  
It was busy, just like any usual weekend was. Slight chatter and sounds from the backroom, Wash would lie if some of it wasn’t yelling, as he made his way towards an empty seat by a window. He preferred the window.  
Kept him grounded to what was now instead of what used to be. Most of the time anyway.  
As he sat, pulling off the top of the take-away cup, he listened to chatter of nearby customers. Regulars that he knew.  
“Minnie, how’s those new neighbors of yours?” New people? In a small town?  
“Oh wonderful! I had the tall blonde over the other day and I tell you, if he wasn’t with the other man I would have fixed him up with my granddaughter!”  
Tall blonde… Wash sighed and took a sip of his coffee, forcing himself to look out the window. Not now. He couldn’t think about them.  
“Deep breath Wash…” He muttered to himself, forcing himself to take a deep breath and focus on the present.  
“Did you tell—Oh David honey! I didn’t see you there.” Hearing his name, he looked over to see one of the regular older ladies waving him over. “Come sit down, we have got to tell you about Minnie’s new neighbors.”  
“O-Oh no it’s alright Alice.” David smiled, even though it was just for the sake of being polite. Its how he was. “I don’t want to disturb you two.”  
“Oh nonsense!” Minnie huffed, moving over and patting the seat beside her. “Come sit down, you will love it.”  
There went his choice of hearing about these two men. Out the window, back into space. Bye Bye now.  
Sighing, mostly to himself, he pushed himself up, collecting the lid to his coffee cup on his way and moved over, sitting where one of the ladies had been sitting just before.  
“Now! You know that the house beside mine was up for sale, I believe I mentioned it last time we spoke or maybe Alice did anyway!, not two weeks ago someone moved in. Two someone’s! Both extremely attractive men.” Daniel and Alex. David ignored the thought and took another sip of his coffee as he nodded, indicating he was listening. “Nice too! Alex, the blonde I was just telling you about Alice, came over to ask for some tea bags yesterday, his job stresses him and tea helps him relax he told me, and we got talking! His partner, who by the way must have been in some fight years ago because he has scar tissue across his eye, came over to see what was wrong and we had tea. They are lovely young men.”  
Nope David wasn’t there anymore. Scar tissue and a blonde named Alex? Sent him into another world. Another time.

_“Wash watch out!” Gunfire rung through his ears and he turned just quick enough to see shots hit the enemy that had been sneaking up behind him._  
_Turning his head, he saw two people, one on another’s back, guns pointed where the man had been. One shot from each of them._  
_“Behind you!” Now it was David’s turn to save them. Four shots from his assault rifle hit two different targets behind his partner’s._  
_The man in the tan armor, with a few of the details white, turned, looking behind him before moving off Alex’s back. Alex being the other, in the purple armor with a green trim._  
_“Heh thanks for the back up.” For a moment Wash saw through York’s visor, seeing the wink directed towards him. “But you should be more careful darling. You might get hurt.”_  
_“So could you two, if you keep saving my ass.” The rookie shrugged, looking around before moving towards them._  
_“You need to pay more attention then.” Alex, assigned as North Dakota, was first to take off his helmet, and David knew that look. The worried look. “We just don’t want you getting hurt Wash, honey.”_  
_“I know.” David was next to take his helmet off, offering the two a small smile. “But I'm fine, I promise and I can take care of myself. I did manage to get into this program didn’t I?”_  
_“Yeah.” Daniel chuckled, helmet removed and moved over, pulling the youngest of the three over and into a short kiss only to move back. “You still need to be careful. We can’t lose our best rookie.”_  
_“Oh is that all I am?”_  
_“You know that isn’t true.” Even in all his armor, he could feel the gloved hand of Alex on his side, gripping his hip._  
_“I know North.”_  
_“Heh you better or all this ‘I love you’ stuff wouldn’t work out well for anyone.”_  
_“Super corny but I love you too Daniel. Alex.”_  
_“I hope we can still be together after this is over.”_  
_“Heh of course. We will make it out alive, just you fucking watch.”_

“David sweetheart?” That forced him back into what was now. “Are you alright?”  
Of course he was. He wasn’t thinking about them, he just needed a breath and to focus on what was. The breath however clued him into why one of the ladies had asked. It was shaky, like he was.  
For the first time that moment he realized he had begun to shake, even if it was barely, and he could see something. Something falling into his coffee.  
Tears? Fuck he was crying.  
“Wash—“ Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he flinched and looked up, obviously startling Alice and Minnie. “Oh!”  
“S-Sorry.” He cleared his throat and moved a hand to wipe on of his eyes. “Long day, guess my thoughts ran off on me, I should be getting back to work.”  
Without another word, he was up and moving into the kitchen, past Doc who voiced his concern as did Tucker and of course Caboose.  
Wash just ignored them, coffee on the counter out the front and as soon as he was in the locker room he let himself sink down onto the floor.  
Back to the door he took deep breaths and furiously wiped his tears away. This couldn’t happen now. He had to focus. He couldn’t think about them.  
“Wash.” It was a voice. A voice that grounded him. “It’s Lydia, come on lemme in.”  
Why was she there? She only worked certain shifts unless—Fuck. She was working today.  
“Fucking—“ He could hear the frustration straining her voice but the next statement was calm, obvious she had taken a breath. “Come on, I wanna talk.”  
Right. Wash didn’t bother getting up, he didn’t even think he had the energy to right now anyway. So he just moved to the other side, tapping on the door once he had.  
It was only seconds before the door opened and his sister moved inside, closing the door behind her and then she kneeled in front of him.  
“Obvious panic attack. Doc told me there was something wrong. Alex and Daniel on your mind kid?”  
“Don’t call me that Lydia.” Wash told her, looking up at his sister as his arms wrapped around his knees.  
“That’s a yes.” A sigh. “You need to talk to someone about this Wash, you keep denying this. Not letting yourself think about it. You know it’s okay to think about it. We lost some fucking good people out there David. It’s okay to think about them.”  
“I-I can’t…!” David lashed out, tears piercing his eyes, making his eyesight blurry and his hands moved to tug at his near existent hair. “They are all I can think about and I can’t think about them! Fuck I miss them! You don’t fucking understand that, when I lost them, I lost myself Lydia! They were all I fucking had… I-I mean I had you and Maine as well… B-But y-you ‘died’ and Maine… Sigma…” There was a soft sob. “I lost e-everything that d-day… Losing them? Losing Alex and Daniel… It makes it hurt so much worse! Because there were my soulmates Lydia! I know they were and I-I can never s-see them again… H-How would y-you feel if you c-couldn’t see Vanessa again?!”  
There was silence between the siblings, aside from deep breaths from David as he struggled to remain ‘calm’.  
“…I would be in pain. If I lost Vanessa, I couldn’t live with myself Wash. I already lost to many good people. Vanessa? She is the best.” There was a sigh. “But you still need to think about it Wash. It wasn’t your fault, there was nothing you could do.”  
“I-I could have done something… I should have…”  
More silence, before he heard the door close and muttering outside.

“Wash.” Hearing a voice, the blonde opened his eyes to see Church standing at the door. “Mind getting up buddy? I know you shouldn’t be working but Doc’s on a break and I got no one to cover him. Do you mind?”  
Wash shrugged forcing himself up, which turned out to be a harder feet than he thought and he steadied himself before grabbing his apron and moving back towards the front of the café and the counter.  
By the time he did so, his apron was on and he began to talk to costumers as happy as he could, fake smiles.  
“What do you want again?” Muttering caught his attention as he was putting cash away in the register, familiar muttering, but he ignored it.  
“Iced coffee, two pumps of Caramel.”  
“The fuck is with you and Caramel.”  
“It’s smooth. Like me.”  
“Yeah right.”  
“Hey! It’s true.”  
“Excuse me—“ Seems it was directed towards him this time.  
“One second. Sorry.” There was a small hum of acceptance and it was only a moment before Wash finished putting coins away before he looked up, faking another smile. “What can I get for yoooo—“  
Wash stopped, staring at the ghosts in front of him. The first was a tall blonde, aqua eyes staring at him and purple shirt tight around him, obviously just the right fit, and the second was shorter but still taller than Wash. Tan skin, one brown eye one covered with scar tissue.  
There was a moment they stared at each other, Wash’s eyes welling up with tears, hand over his mouth before Wash retreated.  
Pushing past the back door, a swing door, and leaned against the wall beside it, taking deep breaths.  
“Wash?” He heard Carolina speak and then swear. “I told you not to put him out there Leonard!”  
“Don’t fucking call me that!”  
“Go fuck yourself!” Silence filled the entire back room. “Wash what’s wrong.”  
“T-They—Alex… D-Daniel.” He looked back at the door and Carolina followed his eyes.  
She moved to the door and opened it, looking out at them before slowly closing the door.  
“Holy fuck.”  
“What’s going on?”  
“Holy fuck. It’s them. How they died.” She tried to keep it hush so it wont worry the costumers out the front. “I fucking listened to York’s last video-com…!”  
“They’re alive…” Wash took a deep breath before pain hit him. “T-They faked it….. G-God I-I'm so stupid…”  
More tears and the anxiety hit him, leaving his chest with no air.  
“Oh no… Wash listen to me. You need to stay calm, you need to focus on my voice.”  
“Is Wash okay—“  
“Caboose shut up!”  
“Shut it all of ya! Damn Blues!”  
“Wash they died. I saw their bodies. You did. Maybe they were—no that’s stupid. It’s just people who look like them.”  
“S-Sound like them… A-Are together… C-Carolina it-it’s them.”  
“Excuse me.” The door opened and the unamused, six-foot-six man that was Alexander North stood there, arms crossed. “What exac—“  
He stopped when he saw Wash and the two looked at each other. Wash shrunk back, looking away tears still falling.  
“Fuck. We did something. Ah, whatever we did we are sorry??”  
“Alex what’s going onnnn. I just want my coffee.”  
“Daniel sh.”  
“Fuck your right.” Carolina whispered to herself.  
“What?” Alex looked to Lydia. “Hmm… Hey Daniel?”  
“Yeah?”  
“Do we know a red-head?”  
“Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Maybe from high school? Why?”  
“Come here.”  
There was a whine but it was only a moment before the other man appeared and stared at Lydia.  
“Huh. She looks familiar.”  
“Huh.” Carolina blinked. “Same eye… Hey how did you get hurt.”  
“Me?”  
“Who the fuck else am I talking to?”  
“Used to be a bodyguard, me and two other guys who fucked up pretty bad. Of course if they were playing fair it wouldn’t have happened.”  
There was another sob from Wash who looked over.  
“H-He… C-Caro… I-I.”  
“Fuck someone get Wash out of here.”  
“Wash?”  
“Fuck that sounds familiar. Wash… Wash…”  
As they talked, Tucker moved over to David, muttering something to him and tried to lead him away. The blonde however just slapped Tucker’s hand away and looked over towards the man.  
“I-I'm sorry… I just..” Wash looked down as their eyes were on him now.  
He moved over, almost tripping which caused Caboose to catch his arm and pull him up with a giggle and a small ‘Silly Washingtub!’, pulling two sets of dog-tags from his neck and over his head.  
“Me and um.. My sister…” He indicated that Carolina was his sister. “Were in the military and we … knew people how look, sound and were pretty much exactly like you… God it seems stupid and t-they are dead but…”  
He gently took North’s hand, placing the dog-tags in it and moved back, almost hesitant to let go of his hand.  
“If they are dead, then it’s not us.” York shrugged but after North put a hand on the side of his shoulder he looked over. “What?”  
“Alexander Dakota, designated ‘North Dakota’, Daniel York designed ‘New York’. Mine even have my sisters name on here. Alexis Dakota designated ‘South Dakota’.”  
“You cant be serious—“  
“We recognize them York—Daniel. Fuck. Look if this is true, what if we ignore it.”  
“What if it isn’t true and they are trying to fuck with us. This isn’t even our first fucking month here Alex.”  
“At least flipping talk to them.” All eyes moved to where Church stood, by the door to the managers office, arms crossed. “I mean geez, I don’t even fucking remember Project Freelancer but from the way Carolina described you, you look like Agents York and North. Also fucking hell—Donut can you jump on counter for me. I think Wash will wanna talk to these guys.”  
“Huh?”  
“Yes sir!” There was a grin before Donut slipped past them and outside.  
“Now get the fuck out of the back...!”  
It was minutes later, Wash was sat across from who he believed where Agent North Dakota and Agent York.  
“So.” Daniel set down his drink, ‘Iced Coffee with two pumps of Caramel’ and looked to Wash who was sitting looking at his lap.  
“Not to be rude but are you even gonna look at us.”  
“S-Sorry…” Wash looked away and then slowly up at them. “It’s just… You look like them and it’s … memories it pains me to think about.”  
“Look alright. Let’s ‘accept’ this theory we are who you say we are. What the fuck are you talking about.”  
“Be nice York.”  
“Fuck being nice. They think we are fucking super-human or something.”  
There was a laugh from Wash that made the two of them look over. North’s chest tightened and he listened, letting the sound wash over him. York tried to stay mad but the laugh calmed him, made him shiver.  
“What’s funny?” It was North’s turn to speak.  
“T-They used to call us super-human. Big towering super-humans in armor, with Artificial Intelligence that helped us kill. Not even nearly true… We were idiots, blinded by my father and used to try and recreate my mother…”  
“I'm sorry what.”  
“It’s a … long story…” Wash sighed. “But the basics were … my mother died and my father formed Project Freelancer, which was a bunch of humans in the military and armor most of which in camps and stuff for us to go in and infiltrate. We were … the real Project Freelancer … to the public anyway. There were a lot of us but … the main of us were Carolina, South Dakota, North Dakota, York, Maine, Wyoming, Florida, Connie and me… Washington. Oh and Texas, who was meant to be the first prototype of my mother…  
Then they introduced AI… Theta, Delta, Omega, Epsilon, Sigma and some others… Alex was the first … or one of the first to get one… Trust or Theta. God I miss him.. Delta too. Delta was Daniel’s. He got him after he injured his eye… Maine got Sigma and they went … haywire. Sigma took over his mind and then the day you two—Sorry… York and North Dakota helped Texas get her hands on Alpha, trying to help him, was the last day I say them. Church, the man who wanted you out, he was… He was Epsilon. He was put in my head that day and the next time I saw them. It was their bodies.” Wash took a breath, a hand on his heart. “I had… a um… relationship with them… Polyamory…  
Why I freaked out when I saw you… You are both so similar to them. Even in your coffee choices.” There was a smile he extended to them, tears in his eyes.  
“Okay. How the fuck is the man an … Artificial Intelligence?”  
“That … I'm not even sure of. Long after Project Freelancer, after I meet up with the staff here and meet up with my sister again, Epsilon sacrificed himself to save his friends. I'm not even sure how he is a human now…”  
“Wait… Wasn’t um… Project Freelancer a thing on the news like. Five years ago? Something about Reds—“  
“And Blues and they went missing… Two of them were from Project Freelancer.” Wash finished. “That’s me and my sister…”  
“Even if you say that you have no proof of that.”  
Wash stood, moving towards the backroom. York and North took the moment to exchange looks.  
“You don’t think what he is saying is true do you?”  
“I'm … not sure.” North sighed. “I don’t want to believe it’s true but …”  
“There is something.” York finished. “You felt it too?”  
“The need to protect? Yeah. That laugh was… it flared up something to. Not like with you but … maybe another form of love?”  
“Yeah.”  
It was not to seconds later, the smaller blonde sat back down, a photo album in his hands.  
“I started this doing Project Freelancer… Mostly photos of the Reds and Blues and our time here now but…” North took a sip of his coffee, cappuccino two sugars, as he watched Wash moved to the back of the album and fiddle with the sleeves. “I never could out the pictures of Project Freelancer…”  
There was a small smile and he continued through, pulling out photos before closing it.  
“To many memories…”  
It was a moment before Wash put a photo down and slid it over towards them. One of Wash, helmet off but the rest of his armor on, obviously taking the photo, with a big man in white and orange armor in the background, drinking coffee and a man in tan armor and another man in purple and green armor moving towards Wash.  
“That was my first lunch there. A week after I started I think, was rookie for a while and that first week was … well scary.” Wash told them. “Daniel was the one in the Tan armor, Alex in the—“  
“Purple and Green. My favourite.” Alex hummed, looking over the photo.  
“Yeah… You and Alexis were always together on colour… And Christmas.” There was more laughter from Wash that filled the couples chest.  
“What about it?” York asked, looking up at the smaller blonde curious.  
“They always had the worst Christmas shirts.” Wash looked through the pile and pulled one out. “Found it. Second Christmas was the worst with their shirts.”  
He moved to show them another picture. No sign of Wash, but Maine stood in the middle of the photo no armor in sight as a pair of twins, the female on the male’s shoulder reached up to put a star on his head. The thing that lit up the picture the most was two Christmas sweaters, wrapped in tinsel and lights. In the background on a couch was Carolina with a mug in hand and beside her was York, putting his finger up at whoever was behind the camera.  
“Heh… We couldn’t have a Christmas tree and then Connie suggested putting decorations on Maine. He always acted tough but I know he enjoyed it, especially those stupid sweaters. I remember South’s disappearing not to long after Christmas and York. Well. He didn’t want to be in the picture but refused to move. Gave me the finger for it.”  
“Sounds like something Daniel would do.” The two exchanged looks and Wash knew words.  
“Heh. You two can still talk through your minds huh?”  
“What?”  
“You always used to do that. Talk in your heads, you two were a great team because of it. Even in the bad times.”  
He put down another photo. Wash was once again taking the photo, but in no armor and York lied in a hospital bed talking with North who was also out of armor. Bandage over his eye.  
“I got time for one photo when we first visited York. A photo and a kiss. I was just so glad he was okay. I took the photo so when we had to leave I could remember. Like it wasn’t a dream that he was okay.” Wash sigh and looked down. “One of the worst times was—“  
“Waiting in the waiting room, praying he was okay.” North moved his hand to squeeze York’s, staring at his partner. “I know the feeling. When York had his accident, I sat there for two nights.”  
“No sleep, no word. Just doctors, telling you it was to early to say.” Wash sent him a small smile.  
“Enough of that.” There was a shake of Wash’s head before his eyes softened. “One of my favorites… God its been forever since I looked at this…”  
He placed down in front of them a picture of a younger Wash, North and York together, grinning from ear to ear and holding rings in the air.  
“A month before everything fell apart, North proposed to me and York. We couldn’t figuratively get married. But. Didn’t mean we couldn’t emotionally be married. York thought it was super cheesy that I wanted a photo but in the end he gave in. He always had a soft spot for us…”


	2. An Almost Normal Day At Cafe Valhalla

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is part of the first chapter, however it's been rewritten so it smooths more smoothy and so it makes more sense.

“So, we should have that over to your table in a few minutes.” David liked the fact that the smile he held while serving customers, was actually a real one, instead of a smile that he had to force. As he watched the customer walk off, speaking to the person they had come to their café with, his smile became smaller but not any less fake.  
_“David—” ___  
Just like that, the smile on his face faded because the blonde knew exactly who was trying to get his attention and what they wanted. Letting out a breath to calm him, Wash turned back to see a familiar man standing in the doorway that separated the café and the ‘staff only’ portion of his work place.  
This familiar figure had black hair, glasses, dark eyes and a scowl that was as noticeable as his crossed arms and his name, Leonard ‘Epsilon’ Church.  
One of the things that always made David wonder, was how Church managed to still be alive. After splitting himself up to save the ‘Reds’ and ‘Blues’ as they were fondly called, he had disappeared for years, only to reappear in this human form back on Earth.  
Which in turn had lead the Reds and Blues, followed closely behind by ex-freelancers Agent Washington and Carolina and it wasn’t long before the ‘Valhalla Café’ came to be.  
“Church, I’m busy—” The man in a yellow and grey apron tried to brush him off, make Church leave him alone for at least a _little_ while more.  
“Oh yeah, you are totally busy.” Almost instantly, Washington could hear the obvious sarcasm in his voice and felt as if he was holding his breath. “Wash, come on. You have been ignoring your break for over an hour. Do not fucking make me get Caboose out here and pick you up. Now, Doc is coming to take over.”  
Wash looked back to see Church moving to the side, and noticed Doc moving over while doing up the back of his purple apron. Letting out a sigh, he gave a smile to the customer next in line, who was just listening amused at the conversation.  
Moving out to the back, past Epsilon, Wash pulled at the strings that tied the apron up, and by the time he got to the small locker-room that they had placed near the back of the café, Wash had his apron untied and folded up.  
Folding the apron under his arm, the man with dyed blonde hair fiddled with the lock on his locker, before pulling it open. Pulling the apron back into his hand, he placed it into his locker before shutting it and clipped the lock back on.  
Letting out a sigh, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling something in his chest. Letting his breath go Wash found two images floating in his vision. Both of men, but before his mind could put details to the faces, Wash shook his head and forced his eyes open.  
He couldn’t think about them right now. No. He had to work, true he was on his break, but he couldn’t let himself think about them now or it would affect him and make him almost unable to work later on.  
It could kill him if he did. He just had to keep calm and focused. It would get him through the day.  
Wash forced out another breath, pulling himself away from his locker and back out into the cooking and preparation area, noticing all the members of the ‘Reds’ and ‘Blues’ were doing something. Caboose, a large blonde hair man don with a blue t-shirt, was happily chatting away to Tucker as he just cutting out some shapes of cookies, that looked to have strawberries in them.  
Tucker was sitting on the counter, happily chatting back and holding a paper coffee cup in his hands.  
The average sized man, looked away from them and his eyes landed up Simmons and Grif, who were helping each other out. The tall, red-head was rolling out same dough while the slightly shorter man was busy pouring some cake batter into a cake pan which wasn’t far from the pan Simmons had placed some donuts that were ready to be baked.  
Wash could also smell the cake that was baking and hummed happily before he noticed Tucker out of the corner of his eyes coming towards him and looked over at him.  
“Just like you like it Wash.” Tucker flashed a small and moved back to Caboose and now Church, whom had walked over while Tucker had been walking over to Wash.  
It was then Wash noticed that Tucker began to whine at the man they had made manager, who was trying his best to ignore him and help Caboose with some cookie dough. Caboose and Church could be so cute, and I’s not like everyone didn’t know they were an item by now.  
“Took ‘em long enough…” He mumbled under his breath, looking down to the coffee in his hands.  
It was still nice and warm and probably black with no sugar, Tucker knew what would happen if he tried to prank Wash with sugar and milk.  
His eyes moved up and to the door that lead out to the actual café and after a moment, his legs began to lead him outside not before passing the blonde haired male, Donut and the ‘Red’s leader’ Sarge.  
While David didn’t really know what were saying, from where he was walking towards the door he could smell something cooking and by atleast Wash’s standards. It smelt amazing.

____

Pushing past the screen between the front of the shop and the back, the ex-freelancer looked around to see if was busy like any usual weekend is here. Teens in, on dates or just hanging out with friends, people in for some coffee or pastry or just here to hang out. Glancing at the counter, he noticed the line was empty, Doc having finished served all the customers and smiled slightly.  
It didn’t seem like it was going to be so busy all day. While he looked around, trying to located somewhere by a window to sit, he could hear the chatter from the backroom. Some of it sounding like yelling, which wasn’t unusual and most of the customers had gotten used to that, it being part of the charm of their little café.  
Finally seeing a seat, Wash moved over and placed himself into the booth that was empty and looked out the window at the city but mostly the sky. The city reminded him to much of falling out of a collapsing building while in Project Freelancer. He didn’t want to think about that.  
Looking at the sky kept him grounded to what was anyway, instead of spiralling back into what could be classified as bad memories.  
“Has anyone moved into that house next to you yet Minnie?” Wash could hear the chatter of some of the regulars, one of the few he knew and often interacted with.  
“Yes finally! I almost forgot to tell you.” There was giggling and Wash sipped on his coffee as he leaned against the window and just stared out, curious about the fact there were new people in such a small town. “Two wonderful men, together mind you or I would have fixed one up with my granddaughter—Oh David!”  
Having not heard his name, Wash was busy taking a deep breath to clam the anxiety that had hit him in the chest from just hearing them speak about two men whom were living together and romantically together. It wasn’t like this was Alexander and Daniel, he tried to reason.  
“David?” Snapping back into reality, he realised he was looking at his coffee cup and was being called.  
David glanced over quickly to see two older ladies, sitting on the other side of the café, which wasn’t to far away, waving him over and when the other lady looked over she waved him over as well.  
“Come join us David, I’m sure you are curious about Minnie’s new neighbours as well.” The blonde hesitated but let out a small sigh, he couldn’t really say no.  
He would be lying if he said he wasn’t interested in he new neighbours in this small town, but he was still slightly anxious about hearing about them. Would more memories surface?  
“It’s alright.” He gave them a polite smile, hands firmly against the cup. “I won’t want to disturb you two.”

“Oh that’s nonsense honey.” Minnie waved a hand before moving over slightly to pat the seat beside her. “Come sit down, you will love this story.”  
Taking another deep breath, the man with dyed blonde hair, pushed himself up. Coffee cup still in his hand, he placed it down on the table in front of the space one of the women had made for him, before sitting beside them.  
“Thank you then.” He gave them another smile before taking a sip from his coffee.  
“It’s alright.” The other lady, Alice, had told him, patting his arm and looked to Minnie whom was now beside Washington. “Now go on Minnie.”  
“Well. They moved in about two weeks ago and I may have left some brownies for them.” Minnie giggled and Wash watched her curiously, coffee back on the table now. “Next thing I knew, the tin was back on my doorstep with a thank you note on it. They are so sweet, and then Alexander. That’s one of the men. He is tall as well and extremely handsome, came over for some tea bags yesterday. He ran out and Daniel, that’s his partner was going to pick some up on the way home but Alex still needed some to sway him over until then.  
“We got talking while he was over getting tea bags, and him and Daniel just moved here from out in Ohio.”  
“That’s quite a long way!” Alice continued, hands picking up her tea cup and took a sip. “What’s Daniel like then…?”  
“Lovely as well.” Minnie answered. “He eventually got home while I was still speaking to his partner and came over to see if Alex was around. He must have been hurt somehow though, he has scaring around one of his eyes and cant see with it. Unfortunate really.”  
They were new, there names with Alexander and Daniel, and Daniel had scaring and blind? Wash felt his mind drift off, into his memories.

_“Wash move!” Hearing some gunfire, the rookie designated ‘Agent Washington’ looked over to see Agents York and North Dakota’s, guns aimed in different directions and when he glanced both ways he noticed one sniper had fallen from behind him, up high and how either of them saw him, was beyond Wash._  
_Noticing both of the older agents, looking to him, Wash glanced around, before turning and shooting three shots off behind where North sat in cover before huffing. He didn’t want anyone near them, even if they hadn’t just saved him._  
_“Be careful.” Wash told him and after a quick glance around the perimeter, Daniel York, a man in tan armour moved over to him._  
_He had pulled off his helmet so Wash could see the scaring over his eye from his injury before he huffed._  
_“David you need to be more careful.”_  
_“We can’t lose our favourite rookie.” Wash noticed North had moved over, his helmet off as well._  
_Putting his assault rifle to the side, the younger of the three then proceeded to pull off his helmet and frown at them._  
_“I could say the same to you.” He told them. “I can’t lose you two so don’t do anything stupid alright?”_  
_“Hey those guys weren’t near either of us.” York told him, chuckling and moved forward to press a kiss to one of the corners of Wash’s mouth and Wash just huffed at him, moving to peck his lips._  
_York grinned as Wash moved back before the rookie moved, pushing himself up onto his toes to peck North’s mouth back. The older agent, moved a hand to Wash’s waist to hold him there for a moment to kiss him back before letting him go._  
_“Still. You need to be as careful too.” Wash told them one more time and frowned. “I intend to take you too back with me to wherever I settle down after this war is over.”_  
_“Oh you want to domesticate us do you?” York raised an eyebrow at him, causing North to chuckle._  
_“Ignore him Wash, we definitely intend on coming with you to settle down somewhere.”_  
_“Good.” Wash grinned at them. “So you two better not die out here.”_  
_“Same to you babe.”_

“David?” David felt someone shake him slightly, pulling him back out of the memory of what was back into what is. “Honey, are you alright?”  
“O-Of—” He stopped himself, hearing how shaky he was, and after a moment he could feel himself shaking and something wet on his cheeks.  
Moving a hand to his cheek, he wiped the wet substance off his cheek and when he looked at it, determined he was crying. Of course, he was crying. Tightly closing his eyes, he forced himself a breath. He needed to calm down, but now all he was getting in his head was concern for Alexander and Daniel. **FAKE.** It’s not real.  
He had to reason with himself, get them out of his head.  
“Wash…?” Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he flinched and looked up to Minnie and Alice, seeing he had startled them and then proceeded to pull himself up and out of the seat.  
His legs felt heavy, but he had to stay standing. He would collapse if he wasn’t careful and he couldn’t do that out here. Not collapse and spiral into the anxiety attack he could feel coming.  
“S-Sorry ladies. I-Im okay, just thoughts r-ran off on me.” He gave them a smile and picked up his coffee cup. “I-I should get back to work.”  
His voice was steady at least, but he could feel the sob rising in his throat. Turning away from them, he began to retreat towards the back of the café before either woman could say anything.  
“That’ll be—” He moved past Doc who was in the middle of serving but as soon as he past, the medic looked at him. “W-Wash you alright?”  
The freckled man ignored the darker man and moved out the back, past the rest of the crew at the café, not before he heard Tucker and Caboose voicing there concern and he could suddenly feel all eyes on him.  
Taking a deep breath, he pulled himself into the locker room, closing the door behind him and felt himself slide down it and he felt the full force of the anxiety attack hit him.  
Pulling his knees to his chest, he moved his hands through his hair and felt himself began to sob. He had to calm down, he had to focus. He couldn’t let him go through this to far, he just had to calm down and focus on today.  
Not what was, but with all the memories and voicing going through his head he was having trouble focusing on what was now. It was blurring.  
_“WASH!”_ He felt himself flinch as he continued to sob and grip his hair, trying to be quiet not to worry the others more than he already had.  
“David.” He suddenly heard a voice, a voice that made all the other quieten in his mind and he lifted his head slightly, his tears on his arm. “It’s Lydia, can I come in?”  
Why was Carolina here? Was she working today? Wait. What day even was it? Monday had past a few days ago so that meant it was Tuesday or Wednesday. Was it Thursday? Lydia was here and unless some time had past since he sat in here, it meant she was here cause she was working.  
“David come on, open the door. I want to help you.” Wash could hear the frustration in her voice and the worry.  
He tried to push himself up but felt no energy in his body. Sniffling, he then pushed himself over a little and out of the door, which barely took anything before raising his hand and tapped the door. She wanted to talk to him and Wash knew his sister, she wouldn’t leave until he let her in. At least a little.  
It only took a few seconds before the red head was squeezing herself past the door and into the locker room, and Wash heard the door click shut and Carolina sit beside him.  
“David, what’s going on?” She asked, and David could hear the frown on her face. “Is it Alexander and Daniel?”  
Of course she figured that out, he barely ever had anxiety attacks other than when he thought about their life and everyone they had lost. Especially the two people Wash loved.  
“I’m taking your silence as a yes.” There was a sigh and he saw Carolina move into his line of sight, having been staring at the floor. “David you need to speak to someone about this, you keep denying this. We lost some amazing people out there Wash and you need to let yourself think about it. Its okay to think about it.”  
“I-I can’t… I-I can’t let myself…” Wash could feel word vomit starting and his hands moved to cover his eyes, tears stinging them. “I-It’s all I-I think about Ly-Lydia a-and I can’t let myself think about t-them cause this happens….! You have n-no idea how much I-I miss M-Maine… O-Or how much I-I miss Alexander a-and Daniel… T-They d-died and I-I can’t forget them… T-They were th-the best thing I-I had on the Mother o-of Invention and I-I can’t forgive myself for le-letting them go… For not protecting the people I-I love…”  
“Wash that—”  
“It is my fault…!” Wash told her, hands moving into his hair. “M-Maine went crazy b-because of S-Sigma and he ‘k-killed’ you Caro…. Alexander and Daniel w-were gone and I h-had no one because of that! Y-You found someone w-who helps you… I-I lost that… I-I lost the people who helped me…”  
There was silence as Wash moved back to wiping his eyes, only for his sister to move his hand and wipe the tears away.  
“…Wash. I was alone when I found their bodies. As you were. Of course I wasn’t dating them, but they were still my friends and that can’t compare to how you are feeling, but Wash you aren’t alone anymore. Everyone out there wants to help you.”  
“T-They d-don’t understand…”  
“They can try and they want to help Wash. Don’t mistake that.” Carolina told him, moving her hand back. “Wash if I lost Vanessa, I would be in so much pain, but you need to express that. There wasn’t anything you could do. It was their choice.”  
“I-I should have… I-I could h-have if I-I’d known…”  
He could hear his sister move and feel the door close behind him before hearing mumbling outside the door. 

“Wash buddy.” Hearing a voice and his name, the blonde opened his eyes to see the smaller frame of the Epsilon at the door, looking back out before back at him. “Think you can do me a favour? Doc is on break and I got no one to cover him, you remember what happened last time Simmons was on counter. Do you mind?”  
Moving to wipe the remaining tears, Wash shrugged at the other and pushed himself to his feet. He felt himself sway slightly and put a hand to the wall to study himself.  
“Thanks man.” He heard Church and felt the door close again and Wash moved his free hand to grab his apron.  
Moving his hand from the wall, he placed the apron over his head before gently rubbing his cheeks and taking a deep breath. He was calmer which was good, so he just had to focus now.  
Grabbing his drink bottle, he took a big sip before placing it back in his locker next to his bag before moving out towards the counter.  
By the time he got out to the counter and sent Frank off for his break, he had his apron on and was speaking to customers, with as much enthusiasm as he could muster, but he knew the smiles he was giving them were fake.  
“So what am I ordering for you again?” He could hear muttering, familiar muttering but tried to ignore at as he quickly put away some change and organise the bills in the register.  
“Iced coffee, with two pumps of caramel.” Why was that order familiar.  
“Why do you always get caramel, like serious.”  
“Oh come on Alex, you know it helps make me smooth.”  
“ _Righttt._ ”  
“Hey, you know it’s true. I mean, I landed you didn’t I?”  
“Yeah. I guess.”  
“Hey!”  
“Excuse me.” This was directed at him this time? Probably, it sounded like it.  
“I’m sorry one second.” Wash told whomever was speaking to him and heard a small hum as the customers waited and after a moment he looked up, a smile on his face, as natural as he could muster. “How can I help you today—”  
He stopped and just stared at the people in front of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! i really hope you guys like this! Obviously this isn't the same as the original chapter, because I intend to do more than 1 chapter of this, another chapter with the end of the orginal story and then another that actually ends this story.  
> Im much much much happier with how this is? Like really?? I love this???

**Author's Note:**

> I love this. But I wasnt sure how to end it and I wasn't sure if I should go for a good ending, they end up together, or North and York leave Wash and they don't get together. Soooo if anyone wants any one of them in particular, lemme know.


End file.
